Apparatus for treating and distilling wood.



5. LOOMIS. APPARATUS FOR TREATING AND DISTILLING WOOD APPLICATION FILED MAR 22. 1912.

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Patented July 27, 1915.

fiYl/ESSS Attorney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. BURDETTJLOOMIS O I' H ARTFCRD, CON NIE ICTICUL ASSIGNOR T LOOMIS UTILIZATION .COI I NI QA'NY, EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CQRPQBATION OF NEW JERSEY,

To all whom 0mm:

Be it known that L Bnnnn'r'r citizenof the United States, residing at I Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain I This invention relates to apparatus v 1o dustrial arts.

new, and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Treating and Distilling Wood, of which the followingis a specification.

I for treating and distilling wood to obtain turpentine, oils, rosin, lignin and other products adapted for economic use in ,the in- The principal obj provide, in an apparatus, means for circulating hot water or a solvent liquor in contact with-comminuted or chipped wood for dissolving gummy matter and releasing turpentine, oils and rosin from the cellular structure; at the same time agitating the material ,andcarrying away the extracted 'constituentsand recovering the same by dis- 'tillation and condensation and by causing separation and deposit of the heavier resin- 0118 matter in a separate chamber.

'1 Another object is to provide means" for I positively circulating hot water or a solvent thencef'through a heater for maintaining --and"increasin g thetemperature and thence b'acl; into, and through, the treating tank,

repeatedly or. continuously, till the constituen-ts have been recovered and the lignin is left practically free for use in making cellulose or other purpose.

A special ob]ect is to provide means for separating and-causing the deposit of resinousQ matter from a circulating extracting liquor.- Y p Another Special object is to provide means for reheating a circulating extracting liquor between a separating and depositing chamber and a wood treating tank, so that Specification of Letters Patent.

Looiurs, a

ect of my invention is to v hall not settle in the "wood-treating erasures m; raria'rme AND DIsTILLING woon.

Patented Jul 27, 1915.

. Application filed March 22, 1912. Serial No; 685,646.

the temperature .of the liquor may ,be main tained or increased as desired for most effective use in theextracting operation.

, By heating wood to a moderate temperature, ranging between 215 and 245 F decomposition is set up, resulting in the formation of a number of acids of the fatty acid series, andby raising the temperature there are formed other fatty acids. The formation of fatty acids, among which acetic acid appears in largest quantity, commences, according to Gillot, at 225 F. Other fatty acids are formed, such as formic" acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, etc., at the above and higher temperatures. Simultanebonic acid, carbonic oxid and methane are evolved from the wood, and these bodies in a nascent state may act upon the acids so that the latter may undergo decomposition by more vigorous heating. nd a large number of products of decomposition may. be formed. Among such products are found methyl alcohol (wood spirits) acetone and metacetone, methyl acetic ether, aldehyde and dimethyl acetal. I have discovered that ously with the formation of these acids, carthese above mentioned fatty acids, gases and other products of decomposition, when diffused inhot water, are an excellent solvent for the cellular structure, the gummy and resinous materials found in plants, and that, if the mixture or solution is circulated in contact with the wood to be wood and treated the contained resinous matter, oils" and turpentine will be quickly liberated and maybe drawn ofl' with circulating water.

The turpentine andemore volatile oil will pass off in the form of vapor and will be condensed, and the resin will pass ofi' in a melted semi-liquidcondition and will be deposited and recovered. I have also dis covered that the fatty acids and other'solvents may be most efl'ectively and economi eally produced, and diffused in water by water and solvent in eontact with the wood and through the heater, the temperature being" gradually increased. is continued tillthe 'ing. Figure 1 showing a sectional elevation thereof. Fig. 2 represents a modification of part of the s parating chamber and its dome or hood.

In theapparatus I provide four principal parts or devices, consisting of a treating and distilling tank A. an expansion and depositing chamber l), l), heating coils II. located in a furnace below the bottom of tank A. and acondcnser E, these parts being suitably connected by valved pipes and a circulating' pump being used in the connecting pipes. I

The tank' A may be constructed of boiler iron or other suitable sheet metal. and has at the .top'a mouthpiece it provided with a cover 0.; and at the bottom a removable cover plate 41." which is removed for dis.- charging treated chips Atthe top of the tank below the. mouthpiece is secured a transverse. -perforated screen plate ll, in the llllt-llllt! :portion of which is provided an opening and. a sliding or removable perforated plate l). The plates 13 and /1 may be made of perforated sheet metal or strong wire cloth. To the bottom cover is secured a perforated screen I) over the opening for the return circulatiiigpipe L. The bottom cover is made removable. and will. in practice. be secured to the tank by bolts 1 It is preferably mounted by lugs .u'on wheels X expansionanddepositing chan'iber I). I). at

which connects the turpentine disleads to a condenser E. i i

on rails W- for convenient removal when the bolts are withdrawn. To the mouthpiece n is connected a water and vapor dischargep-ipe having a valve 0. which connects. with an the top of charge pipe 0. having a valve 0'. -The pipe 6 The expansion and depositing chamber D. I) is preferably of greater height thanthe treating tank and rises above the same and is about one-lialf the diameter of said tank.

though such exact proportions are not required. At the lower end the chamber is made with tapering walls (I. (I. terminating with a discharge pipe having a valve J'dor drawing ofl rosin. placed iiithe lower end of the depositing or catclral]. chamber 1) 'forinelting resinous A isteam' coil 1/" is I have there- 1 material in case it becomes cold and hardened. At about middle height of chamber I),'I) is placed a separating dome or hood 1*. which may be attached at its edges to the wall of the chamber. as shown in Fig. l,or may be detached with free edges all around as shown in Fig. 2. In this construction the dome is suspended centrally in chan'iber I) and has connectingwitli the top a water out let pipe 7". In the construction shown in Fig. 1. the outlet pipe 7' connects with the wall; of chamber I) below the top of the dome and is provided with a valve 7''. The dome I is located below the connection of the water and vapor discharge pipe (.3 from t reatings tank A and provides a vapor eX- pansion chamber or space D above it..,and a rosin depositing or catch-all chamber or space I) below it. This dome acts as a dedeposited. in the bottom of chamber I) while the water or treating liquor flows up into the dome and thence oif to the circulating pump (l. A positively acting rotary pressure pump is preferably used. though some other kind of positive pressure pump may be employed. A discharge pipe connects fiector and separator to cause the rosin tobe with the pump and leads to the lower end of I a series of heating coils H suitably supported in a furnace K. These coils are connected in aserics by means of return beiid couplers 12. which extend through the wall of the furnace. Near the bottom of the furnace is provided a perforated arch 7.: for distributing the gas flame and protecting the lower heating coil. A fire chamber is provided below the arch Ir. (his is preferably burned in the tire chamber and is supplied by a pipe M having a valve 111 and a burner of'an y suitable kind m in the fire chamber.

In order to secure satisfactory heating and circulation of liquid through the apparatus. the. heater is located so that the top thereof is below the bottom of the treating and distilling tank A. w

To the top of the heating coil is connected a return pipe L 'of the circulating system. and this pipe is also connected to the bottom cover a" of the treating "tank A. A union coupling Z is preferably used in pipe L'so that the cover a maybe readily removed for discharging the [contents of 'tankA. The return pipe Ii is provided with a check valve 7'. A check valve is also placed in the lower end of pipe at its connection with the coil. These check valves prevent back flow of water from the tank'. To pipe L is connected a l.ilo\\-'-otlf'-pi e' c. having a valve and connecting.with a storage and settling tank T. A water supply pipe X. having a valve n. connects with the mouthpiece of tank A. or r ayconnect at" ppa rat us. as near out my process, the bottom cover a" is closed and secured by'bolts, and thetank is then filled with chips of wood through the mouthpiece a, the sliding screen I) being at that time open. The chips are preferably made by cutting the wood across the grain, and may be about an inch thick. The tank A is preferably filled with chips up to the screen B, and then the sliding screen Z) and the top cover a are closed and secured in place.

Now the whole system, including tank A, chamber D, D and the coils, is filled with water admitted by pipe N and caused to rise to the dotted line w just above the level of the discharge pipe C. Gas is then admitted to the burner m and lighted, and the circulating pump G is started. This causes the circulation of water through the heating coils and thence -up through the treating and distilling tank A in contact with the wood chips. As the circulating water becomes heated, approximately to 212 F., some of the fatty acids are produced and pass with the water into the heating coils. As the temperature of the water is gradually raised, other fatty acids, gases and products of decomposition are formed and difi'used through the water. The hot circu lating water and the solvent fatty acids soon commence to dissolve the-cellular structure and release the turpentine and volatile oil from the wood chips. The turpentine and oil vapor pass with the water or liquor into chamber D, D, where the volatile vapors separate and fill the vapor space D from whichthey'pass off through pipe 6 to the condenser E, where condensation is effected. At the same time the circulating water containing rosin which has been released from the wood is passed down over the separating dome 1F where the rosin is separated and caused to settle intoithe rosin depositing or catching chamber D, where it collects while the water passes up through the separator dome F, and thence by pipe 7', the circulating pump G, and pipe 9 into the bottom of the heating coils. By circulating the hot 1 water up through the chips in tank A, the

rosin is carried upward and floated off with the water through pipe G into chamber D, D, where it is deposited.

The circulating hot water or solvent liquor in tank.A agitates the body of chips and prevents packing, and continuously carries away the extracted material so as to continuously bring freshliquor intocontact with the chips to effectively exert its solvent action on the cellular structure thereof and release the gummy and resinous constituents.

' time the liquor is partially cooled so that the rosin is hardenedand will readily settle in the bottom of chamber D. The velocity of the flow of liquor is much retarded in the expansion and depositing chamber, thereby facilitating the deposit of rosin. This action is also aided by the smalh overflow outlet pipe 7 from the top of the separating dome.70

F. The temperature in chamber D, owing to the fact that it is an expansion chamber, and is-not heated during process, will be considerably lower than that in the treating chamber B, so as to facilitate the hardening and deposit of rosin, but no fixed temperature can be given as it will vary in accordance with the outside temperature and the temperature maintained in tank B.

The temperature of the water or liquor may be gradually raised in the heating coils to approximately 300 F. Asthe operationprogresses, the water or liquor becomes .charged with an increasing percentage of fatty acids, gases, etc., and these act with 8 increasing energy to dissolve, release, and extract the turpentine, oil and rosin from'the wood chips till they are substantially free from such constituents. The operation may be continued' for a period varying from six 'to twelve hours, according to the character of wood being treated. At suitable intervals, the valve cl may be opened and the rosin discharged from the chamber D, but

this may be mostly discharged at the end of theoperation.

lVhen the treatment and distillation of the wood in tank A is completed, the valve 0 may be closed and the blow-oif valve .9

opened, permitting the water or liquor containingthe fattyacid to be blown oil" into the storage and. settling tank T, where it is reserved for treating a. succeeding charge of wood-chips in tank A. The water having been drawn off, the-bottom cover ,a'" of tank A may beremoved and the chips discharged by gravity into a suitable receptacle. The chips being freed from turpentine, oil and rosin will be in condition for making cellulose and various other uses in the industrial arts. 'The spent wood-chips may also be used as fuel in the furnace for heating the coils. i i

The process herein described is made the subject of a separate application, Serial No.

' cut is 1. The combination with a wood-treating and distilling tank, of means forsupplying hot water or liquor thereto, adischarge pipe for vapor and water connecting with the top of the tank, a closed expansion and depositingchamber connecting with said pipe and having'a separating hood or dome approximately at its middle portion an outlet pipe for liquor connecting with the top thereof and a vapor outlet pipe at the top of the expansion chamber.

The combination with a wood-treating and distilling tank, of means for heating mmor liquor and supplying itto the botthe top of the treating tank with the expansion chamber. The combination with a wood-treating and distilling tank, of a closed expansion and ('ilepositing chamber connecting with the top of said tank, a closed rosin separating hood or dome below the top of said'cha'mber and providing a vapor space above and a rosin depositing space below, a vapor escape pipe leading'fromtie vapor space, an

outlet pipe for liquorco necting with the topof the dome, a liquid forcing and circulating device, a heater and pipe connections between the dome and forcing device and between the heater and the bottom of the treatin and distilling tank.

l. The combination ,with a wood treatingand distilling tank, of a closed expansion and depositing chamber, a water and vapor/ "discharge pipe cpnnectlng the top of the .tank with said chamber, a condenser andfa.

pipe connecting it with the'top of the expansion chamber, a forcing and circulatingpump, a water heater, pipes connecting the pump with the expansion and depositing chamber and with the heater, and a return pipe connecting the heaterwith the bottom of the treating and distilling tank.

In apparatus for "treating and dis- Gopies 01' this patent may-be obtained 'for tilling wood, an expansion and depositing chamber having a separating hood approximately at its middle portion for providing v a vapor space above and a rosin depositing spacebelow, a water and vapor inlet pipe connecting above the hood and a water out let pipe connecting below the hood, whereby the hood will act as a deflector for causing deposit of heavier matter in the bottom of the chamber.

6. The combination with a wood treating and distilling tank, of a closed expansion and depositing chamber connecting with the top thereof, a separating hood placed midway in said chan'iber causing deposit of heavy resinous matter from liquor, a forcmg and circulating pump connecting with such chamber near the top of the hood, a coil heater, a pipe connecting the pump with the bottom thereof, and a pipe connection from the top of the heater to thebottom of the treating tank for heating liquor'and forcing it up through material under treatment in the tank.'

7. A treating and distilling tank having a a mouthpiece and a cover at the top, a perforated screen platebe'low the same, a removable bottom cover and screen, and a discharge plpe for hquor and vapor connecting with the mouthpiece, in combination with an expansion and depositing chamber hav-.

ing a separating hood or dome approximately at its middle portion'for providing" a vapor space above and a rosin depositing space below, a clrculatlng' pump. and a heater and pipe connections therefor .from the top of the dometo the bottom of the treating tank below the bottom screen plate. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

{itnesses:

E. 'BCLARK, BENNETT S, Jones.

BURDETT Looms.

five cents eaoh, y g the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

